Static Frequency
by Kalima Idina
Summary: Saffron and Sahara Winters are orphans. Their uncaring uncle sends them away to live alone in Forks. Can the friends they make there ever begin to heal the wounds of their past? Set slightly post Twilight, but with a few changes. T just in case.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, but Saffron is all mine (Sahara belongs to my friend).

AN: This is my first Twilight fanfic, so enjoy!

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Two girls, sitting in the middle of an immense tree stump. Rain falls down in heavy sheets around them. A notebook lies in one of their laps, and a colorful sketchbook lies in the other. A guitar, its strings vibrating slightly as raindrops splashed upon the exposed wires, leans against their legs. Both of their eyes are closed, their backs straight and touching. They do not seem to notice the fact that their clothes are soaked through and the wind blows harshly through their hair.

A lone figure approaches from the surrounding woods, a confused expression displaying upon his features as he draws near. A small smirk plays on the edges of his mouth as he notices the two girls' antics.

"Oi, are you two a bunch of head cases, or do you not see the buckets of water being poured over your thick heads?"

One girl, dressed in a colorful blouse and a flowing skirt, jumps, blushes from head to foot, and then proceeds to focus her gaze upon the sketchbook in her lap. The other girl, dressed in jeans and a black hoodie, opens one eye, taking in the picture of the gorgeous, shirtless teen as the rain pours down his thick muscles. "Bite me," she mutters, and then closes her eye.

"Pretty talk," he replies, grinning. His white teeth contrast fantastically with his olive-toned skin. The wind blows fiercely, strands of dark hair moving freely in the air.

The other girl, her gray hair also billowing in the wind, finally glances up at the boy from underneath her eyelashes, her cheeks red despite the cold rain.

"And what of it?" the first girl replies, snapping her eyes open once more. Her piercing green gaze seemed to almost glow in the darkened clearing.

"What are you doing here?" the boy asks, ignoring her question.

"Um, in case you were wondering, we live in the only house within ten miles of this place. So, I think the real question is—_why_ are _you_ here?"

The headstrong girl turns her heard as the female next to her stands. "I'm going home," the female mumbles. "Which way is home?" she asks, even softer. It will not do if he were to hear.

The strange boy laughs, the sound jumping out of his throat like an excited bark. The shy girl takes one frantic look at him before rushing from the clearing.

"Great," the other girl mutters sarcastically, "you scared her off. Thanks bunches."

"You're welcome," he replies, tilting his head up and smiling that obnoxiously white smile of his.

The female sighs. "I have to go before she falls down a rabbit hole and ends up in Narnia."

"Wait—" he begins as the girl gets up. She glances back, annoyance evident upon her face. "Will you come back here?"

"Only if you don't," she replies, and then mutters, "freak."

"I'm just as much of a freak as you are!" he calls back.

_Wow,_ she thinks. _Dang good hearing. Needs to work on his comebacks, though._

It does not take her long to catch up. The other girl has stopped some yards away from the clearing and now stands there waiting. The first comes up beside her.

And stops short.

"Guitar," she says abruptly.

The two glance at each other, and the silver-haired one submits to the superior gaze of the other. With a sigh, the reserved girl makes her way back to the clearing. Of course, the gorgeous boy is still there. Just her luck. She inches toward the massive tree stump, eyes never leaving his form as she awkwardly kneels down to pick up the guitar. Abruptly, she turns around and rushes once more from his presence. He does not even try to hide his grin. A strange noise sounds in the damp air, and then the clearing is eerily silent.

The girls walk in step, most likely without notice, as they calmly find the way back to their new home. Large drops of rain plaster their faces, and their hair and clothes stick oddly to their skin, yet they feel no need to quicken their leisurely pace. Everything is tranquil. Quiet. Right. The only sound is the water falling from the heavens and the muted sound of their own feet upon the forest floor.

A twinkling light in the distance welcomes them home, and they move towards its warm embrace. The rain hovers over their eyes, and even though they remember, they struggle to see the grandeur of the house. The size is easier to discern, and they are struck with its immense berth, as they may be prone to do often. It is more like a mansion than a house. The first girl, her jeans soaked and her hood unused, opens the door for the other, who rushes inside to place her sketchbook in front of the fire. The name on the front reads "Sahara Jae Winters." The mantelpiece itself is a thing of art, drawing the attention to the back of the enormous family room. The other girl walks in as well, closing the door firmly behind her before striping off her hoodie and placing it with her notebook next to the fire. Her black tank top hugs her curves, a fact which most likely influenced her decision to wear the hoodie.

The two girls smile at each other for a moment before turning in opposite directions—one moving towards the staircase to the left and the other to the basement door on the far right. There is the soft noise of two doors shutting gently.

Sahara, her skirt trailing damply at her feet, sits delicately on a piano stool. The basement around her is divided into two areas: one a full entertainment center with a plasma T.V. and matching stereos, and the other an area for music and art. Tubes of paint, artist pencils, and sheets of music are filed away in the boxes they have not opened since they arrived earlier this morning. It will not take long for this to change.

Her fingers move in a memorized, almost instinctive pattern as she plays a beloved song. The notes hang in the silence for a moment before fading sweetly away.

On the second floor, another girl sits cross-legged on her bed, thoughtfully strumming her guitar. Her dry notebook lies open beside her, full of lines from a new song. On the top of the sheet of paper are the words "Saffron Renee Winters."

Saffron looks up, staring out the window to the darkened sky beyond. The sweet sound of her voice joins that of the guitar's, and outside the music vibrates throughout, causing a faint hum.

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AN: Hope you enjoyed the first chapter! Anyone who liked it should check out my other fanfic - Harry Potter and the Fullmetal Alchemist. Please R&R!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Twilight, but Saffron and Sahara belong entirely to my friend and I.

AN: Back again for the second installment! Special thanks to my one reviewer, A-NicXIII. I always love feedback! (Hint: you read it, you review it. xD) Anyway, on with the story!

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**Saffron's POV**

School is boring, as usual. All of the courses are easy. Sahara and I have already read all of the books assigned for English, and Biology is just plain weird. Everyone else already has a lab partner, although the teacher said something about a classmate being absent, so that shouldn't be a problem in the future. Whoopee. It was bright out in the morning, the faint smell of rain still on the air. When school ended, it was downcast and Sahara wanted to hurry home to draw something at the stump. I decided to stay at school. It's pretty here, surprisingly. I sit underneath a tree, crossing my legs Indian style and laying my notebook on my lap. I really need to finish that song…. I'm so concentrated on my lyrics that I'm oblivious to all else.

"What are you writing?" a voice says suddenly, and I look up, startled. The voice belonged to a teen of around my age. "Sorry. I did not mean to frighten you."

"I'm writing a song," I reply, looking down at the open notebook once more.

"What is it about?" he continues, sitting down a few feet in front of me. Hmm…. That's strange. Someone would usually sit closer.

"You walk rather quietly, don't you?" is my response. "I have rather good hearing, but you didn't make a sound…"

"Yes," the boy says with a small smile, "this trait seems to run in my family. My name is Edward Cullen, by the way."

"Saffron Renee Winters," I reply automatically, smiling slightly.

"So, what did you say your song was about?" Edward's lips tip into a small smirk and he raises an eyebrow at my prickly expression.

"I thought I changed the subject," I mumble gruffly.

"Oh, yes, you changed it remarkably well. However, I changed it back."

I can't help but smile at him. Don't ask me why. As our conversations pauses for a moment, I take the chance to actually look him over. He is wearing jeans, not the obnoxiously loose ones that the strange guy in the woods had been wearing, but a pair that actually fit him. He wore a tight black shirt, one that complemented the dark locks of his hair. And his eyes. I've never seen eyes quite like these before. They are a bright amber. _He's kinda…pretty, _I think, somehow suddenly giddy. I'm _never_ giddy.

For some reason he looks away slightly, a smile tipping on the edges of his lips.

"What is it?" I ask, perplexed. _Did I say that out loud?_

"Nothing," he replies, focusing his attention on me once more. A shiver runs down my spine. That's strange…. I usually like the attention. I look down at my notebook yet again, struggling to rid myself of the uneasy feeling. Why do I feel so different around him?

"What are you thinking?" he asks, so quiet I'm not even sure he's spoken. I look up to find his eyes boring into mine. Talk about creepy…

A small breeze moves through the still air, blowing my black hair into my face. Edward freezes beside me. "What's wrong?" I ask, looking over at him with a slightly annoyed and confused expression.

"I have to go," he says abruptly, standing with more grace than I would ever be able to muster.

I look after him, confused and slightly hurt. Suddenly, I feel a jolt of mixed feelings stemming from my strange connection to my twin. Glancing vaguely in the direction of our tree stump, I wonder how Sahara is doing…

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**Sahara's POV **(**AN: Written mostly by my friend.**)

School was boring, and so after it ended I left in a hurry. I had already read all the books for English, and Biology was so lame. Saffron and I aren't even in the same classes. I quickly grab my bag from my locker and rush out of the building, hoping no one notices me. There are too many new people there, and I just don't want them staring at me anymore. I get home from school earlier than Saffron. I rush into the house, kick off my shoes, and grab my sketchbook. I then walk outside into the grey afternoon. I prefer walking barefoot because I don't like the restricting feeling shoes bring. Saffy thought this was strange, but then again, she wasn't here to comment on it.

I step into the woods and am startled to find a tall, shirtless teenager waiting at the edge of the first line of trees. I blush and begin to deliberate my options. I can run away, but this would seem rude. Otherwise, I will simply have to pass him. I decide to keep walking, praying he won't speak to me.

"Oh," the teen began, watching my demeanor change. "You're the shy one." He sighed.

I blush, realizing he likes Saffron. I struggle to suppress my own feelings. I shouldn't wish for him to wait for me like that. I can't want him to look at me the way I saw him look at my sister yesterday. This is _so_ inconvenient.

"I'm sorry," I say.

I have a habit of apologizing for myself. Sometimes people get annoyed. The russet-skinned boy decides to ignore it.

"Where's the other one?" the boy asks, walking casually beside me.

"I assume you mean my twin," I reply, staring at the ground. "She's still at school."

"Oh," the boy responds.

I give a nod and return to examining the ground. I notice he's also barefoot. Apparently I'm not the only 'weirdo.'

"You walk quietly," he observed.

"I'm a...ninja?" I say in response, thinking this would be something my sister would say. This causes him to let out a bark of laughter. I find it fascinating, but yet I continue focusing my attention elsewhere. I have to force myself to keep my wandering eyes from the shirtless teen.

"Why are you so shy?" he questions.

"Why are you so tall?" I retort.

He smirks and rolls his eyes.

"My sister will be home from school in about an hour or so." I tell him, knowing Saffron will have no desire to stay in any place involving textbooks for long.

"'Kay." As he turns to move, he bumps into my arm, causing me to drop my sketchbook. Stooping low, he bends to pick it up. I reach for it. "Tell me your name first," he demands, straightening.

"It's Sahara...Sahara Jae Winters." I sigh, reaching for the notebook.

He smirks a little, placing it in my outstretched hand. Our fingers brush slightly and I notice how warm his skin is. I involuntarily shiver a little as I notice how cold I am in comparison.

"You okay?" the boy asks.

"Yeah...thanks," I reply. I turn to walk away, but then stop suddenly. "Wait....what's your name?"

"Jacob," he replies, a small smile playing on his lips. This is all he says before he lopes off into the woods again, leaving me alone to stare after him in awe. I shake my head, feeling increasingly stupid, and move towards the massive tree stump my sister and I found the day before.

When I arrive at this serene haven, I sit down immediately and open my sketchbook to the first available page. I pull out the pencils from my bag, put them to the page, and begin to draw in a trance-like state. I don't even realize as I begin to draw the figure of a shirtless youth with long dark hair billowing in the wind. I draw so intensely I forget all about Saffron. The light changes slightly, and I pause in my drawing. Glancing up, I notice the brooding clouds. It looks like rain. I quickly gather my things and leave.

I walk slowly through the trees, savoring the silence and the sound of the trees in the wind. The sky is beautiful in the gathering storm. I arrive back home just as the floodgates of heaven open. I run to the door and stop short, noticing that my sister has a visitor. Without meaning to, I catch the end of their conversation.

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AN: Hope you liked it! If you did (or not, that's fine) please review! Any feedback, good or bad, is greatly appreciated!

Oh, and if you like this, you should check out my two other fanfics, **Shades of Grey **and **Harry Potter and the Fullmetal Alchemist**.


	3. Chapter 3

Dislclaimer: I own nothing except Saffron.... Sadly, Twilight still belongs to Stephanie Meyer.

AN: Hello, everyone! I just wanted to thank my two new reviewers, aquamewblast and Twit-Tard. Just as a side note to everyone: Saffron is _definitely _not Bella. Trust me. She isn't. Oh, and to Twit-Tard: my Saffron's nickname is also Saffy. Funny ol' world, innit? (What was the from again? Oh, yeah. Pirates of the Caribbean. xD) Anyway, enough of my banter. On with the story!

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**Saffron's POV**

I beat Sahara home—not surprisingly so, of course. She would probably stay out there forever if it weren't for me. Sitting on a high stool at the long counter top in the kitchen, I dutifully do my homework as I impatiently wait for my sister's return. I was uncommonly anxious for her to come home, I must admit. That weird connection I share with my twin causes us both to feel the emotions of the other, to somehow know how the other feels, whether they are safe or in some sort of danger. I know it's strange—but that's just the way we are.

I'm just finishing a difficult Trig problem when I hear a hard knock on the door. I jump, glancing towards the door curiously. No one knows where we live…. Pushing my stool back, I jump off the seat, my bare feet making barely a sound on the cold tile floor. On the other side of the door I find the grinning image of that annoying boy from the woods.

"Hi there," he says, his grin widening.

I barely manage to stop myself from slamming the door in his obnoxious face. "How the heck did you know where I live?" I demand hotly, clenching my teeth. I'm sometimes known to have a bad temper…

The boy shrugged. "You're the one that told me yours is the only house in ten miles." I narrow my eyes at him, but he seems unaffected. "So, are you gonna let me in?"

Instead of replying, I turn back to walk into the house, leaving the door open. He makes no effort to hide his hard footsteps as he follows me in. I return to my seat at the counter as he pulls himself up to sit on the counter top.

"You're going to break it," I mutter, glancing warily at the edge jutting over the main counter. He grins in response.

"Hey, what's your name anyway?" he asks suddenly.

My eyes narrow once more. "What's yours?"

"Jacob Black," he replies automatically.

"Saffron Winters," I answer, my tone frosty.

We both stare at each other for a few moments, an open curious look in his eyes, and an irritated look in mine. Couldn't he take a hint? "So…" he begins. I almost sigh in relief—at least _some_one has broken the silence. "Where are your parents? I only see one car in the driveway—and it's a sweet ride, by the way," Jacob adds with another grin. I roll my eyes.

"They're dead," I reply abruptly. He freezes, his face moving into shock.

"I'm sorry…" he begins.

"It was a long time ago…" I add, effectively hiding the pain and torment behind a nonchalant mask. Jacob seems horrified. My irritation fades, and I sigh. "It's okay, Jacob—really. Sahara and I live alone."

"No next of kin?" he asks quietly, all jubilance gone. It seems wrong, somehow.

"An uncle…but he doesn't really care. He set us up with a house here… He calls every week or so—to make sure we're not dead."

Jacob's eyebrows come together in surprise. "Is that legal?"

"Probably not," I reply, glancing down. I can feel the tears forming in my eyes as I remember the day I lost something so dear to me—the sense of family.

I am so absorbed with my unpleasant memories that it doesn't register as Jacob hesitantly moves his hand to gently cover mine. It was strangely hot, almost burning. Suddenly, I feel a pang of betrayal and hurt, and I glance over at the open door to see Sahara standing in the open entrance way, her eyes flaming but her face unreadable—even to me. I remove my hand as if it had been burned. Jacob looks slightly surprised until he manages to turn his head to follow my gaze, and realization finally hits his eyes.

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**Third Person (AN: AKA no POV)**

The girl hears Saffron tell Jacob their parents are dead. Her sister never even speaks of it to her. Sahara watches his hand cover hers comfortingly. Why can't she be the one to do that? How can her sister tell him her deepest and darkest thoughts, while she never confides in her? The youngest sister feels the other's pain and desperately wants to comfort her, yet her own pain is more intense. Her heart also constricts because she knows her sister misses the sense of family, something that should never be able to be taken away. Their uncle has no interest; they have only each other. Saffron is her only family. It is enough for Sahara, but Saffron longs for the past, and this is something Sahara cannot give her.

Sahara can also detect some unidentifiable feeling as she sees Jacob's hand covering her sister's. She's confused, and oddly hurt. Her sister's eyes are confused as well. This is most likely due to the expression upon the younger sibling's face. Sahara doesn't even know what she's feeling, and therefore is certain Saffron can't understand it either.

Saffron pulls her hand back, and Sahara sees Jacob's eyes drift to her figure. She blushes, looking at her hands. It's hard to hide her pain. The girl feels Saffron's pang of guilt at the simple touch.

"Sahara…" the sister begins, not certain of what to say.

"I'll be in my room," the younger one murmurs, brushing past the two of them to the basement stairs.

"You should go," Sahara says quietly to the boy.

"Can I try to talk to her?"

Saffron shrugs. "Be my guest."

Jacob walks down the stairs, glancing at the artwork on the walls. They really have a nice set-up here. He wonders who decorated the space, doubting the uncle cared enough. The teen comes to the landing, looking around. The hallway is lit every few steps by a separate light. Talk about rich.

A faint noise draws him to the end of the long hallway. As he grows near, Jacob recognizes the sound of a popular artist. Sahara sings the words of "Fallen" by Sarah Mclachlan as she plays the tune softly upon the piano. As she finishes the last chords, Jacob claps, impressed.

The girl froze. Saffron never claps for her playing. She spins around, gasping as the unbelievably muscular teenager saunters into the room, a softer expression on his face then she would have expected. He smiles, and she stares at him in return, confused. He's never this nice, or this quiet. It seems out of character.

"That was nice," he complements, moving closer towards Sahara.

She blushes, looking down at the sketchbook open in her lap. Her eyes widen as she realizes what—or whom—she had drawn. The book shuts with a snap, and she places it on top of the piano.

"Um…thank you," she replies hastily, blushing more furiously than before as she looks down once again.

He sits beside her on the edge of the bench, and she scoots away from him.

"I'm sorry," he begins sincerely. "About your parents."

"It's okay," Sahara replies, glancing up at him. He grins at her, and she starts to feel more at ease with him. She doesn't want to be sad, and his presence is comforting, despite the fact it still terrifies her. "Is there something…you wanted?" she asks, genuinely confused.

Jacob turns to face her on the bench, and she leans back away from him. With a slight smirk, he questions, "Is something wrong?"

"N-no," is her stuttered reply.

"C'mon, Sahara. What's bugging you?"

"Nothing," she mutters, glaring fiercely down at her hands. She doesn't seem to notices as her vision begins to blur until a single tear runs down her cheek. She turns her face away, wiping the tear away with a clammy hand.

"I was kind of a jerk this afternoon, wasn't I?" Jacob admits grudgingly, for some reason choosing to ignore Sahara's emotional response. "I was so busy blabbing on and on about Saffron, but I wasn't even paying attention to you."

Sahara shakes her head, biting her lip so that no more tears might fall.

"I'm sorry. Would you still mind being my friend?"

She shifts her eyes over to him, her face unmoving. "As long as you don't ignore me," the girl declares finally, speaking as her sister would. "It gets _annoying_."

"Sure, sure," is his only reply.

"You guys good now?" a voice demands, and they glance up to see Saffron standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame with her arms crossed over her chest.

Sahara smiles gently at her sister in reply, but Jacob says flippantly, "Yeah, we're good," flashing her yet another obnoxious smile.

Saffron rolls her eyes.

A loud howl comes from outside the house, startlingly close. Both girls jump at the sound, but Jacob suddenly changes. His smile turns into a grimace, and he stands swiftly, putting a hand on each of their shoulders.

"Don't worry: they won't bother you as long as you don't bother them," he explains, his demeanor strangely serious. "I have to go now. Goodbye." He rushes from the room with more speed than the two of them could ever muster.

They stare after him, shocked, until they glance at each other. A smile creeps to both of their faces, and then for some reason they both burst out laughing.

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AN: Okay, there it is - the third chapter! I hope you guys liked it. And remember: you read it, you review it! (That's kind of catchy...)


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, and I certainly don't own the lunch scene in the first book, although I had to reference it quite often for this post.

AN: Thank you all for my generous reviews! I love you, Steph! Oh, and I've decided to do a section in Edward's POV. I haven't read the draft of Midnight Sun, so I have no idea if I'm portraying him correctly, but I think I did okay. Anyway, to carry on...

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**Saffron's POV**

I glance around the lunchroom, searching for a familiar face. New schools are always hard. Where is Sahara? Late, as usual—her head in the clouds. I turn swiftly to look back at the entrance, not noticing someone directly behind me. We both start to fall, but steady ourselves by grabbing hold of each other.

"Sorry," I begin, embarrassed.

For a moment, the other girl's face seems livid, but she manages to soften it. "It's…okay. You probably didn't see me."

"No, I'm sorry. I didn't. Have you seen my sister?" I question. "She looks exactly like me except for the fact she has lighter hair…some might even call it silver."

The girl pushes a strand of her dirty blond hair behind an ear, pale blue eyes searching the lunch room for a moment before landing upon me once more. "I'm sorry, I don't see her."

I give her a slight smile. "That's okay. We'll find each other eventually."

"I'm Lauren, by the way."

"Saffron," I reply.

"Wow, nice name," she answers, raising her eyebrows.

"Uh…thanks. Hey, I think we have a class together."

"Yeah. Trig, right?"

"Right," I say with a nod.

"Do you want to sit with me?" she asks, indicating a table opposite the main entrance.

"Sure."

We walk past the tables to the end of the room. Passing a certain table, Lauren pauses to glare at its occupants before continuing on her way. I stare at them for a moment, confused, before she grabs hold of my hand and pulls me along.

"Don't bother with them. They're a bad crowd," she informs me.

"Really?" I question, curious. "Who are they?"

Before she can reply, we reach her table. Her friends look up at me with curious expressions. Behind the curiosity, however, there seems to be some hidden emotion. Are they all…sad?

"These are my friends Jessica, Angela, Mike, and Tyler," Lauren begins, indicating each in turn. "Guys, this is Saffron."

"How you doing?" Mike questions, a grin on his face. He has pale blue eyes, just as Lauren, and his short, spiky hair is also blond.

The girl named Jessica glares over at him, and then at me. Tyler nods at me, a grin similar to Mike's upon his face. Angela smiles kindly at me.

"There's an extra seat by me," the dark-skinned girl begins. "Ben's out sick today."

"Okay," I say, glancing over at Lauren before moving around the table to sit beside Angela. Lauren sits across from me.

"You…didn't have the change to answer my question before," I remind her politely.

She sighs, glancing over at the table. "Those are the Cullens."

Angela glances up sharply, pain evident upon her face. "They were involved in an accident with our friend," she murmurs. "She still hasn't woken from the coma."

I glance over at the Cullens' table for a moment, trying to see the reason for my new friends' animosity. There are four of them. Of course Edward isn't there. They don't talk, although their food lays untouched before them. They all bear the same surname, but they don't look anything alike. One of the boys is big, heavy muscles evident even under his loose shirt. Dark, curly hair falls just above his ears. The other is taller and heavier, although still muscular. His hair comes past his ears and is a honey blond. They look like they can be in college, or even teachers rather than students. They are nothing like what I remember Edward to look like.

The girls, too, are complete opposites. The tall one is statuesque with a supermodel figure. Wow, I just think my self-esteem dropped a notch or two. Her hair is golden and slightly wavy, falling to the middle of her back. The short girl is almost pixie-like. She is too thin for comfort, her features small. Her hair is a deep black. Cropped short, it spikes in every direction.

And yet, somehow, they are all alike. All four of them are deadly pale, as if all the life had been drained from them. Perhaps this is a tad over-dramatic, but they are at least the palest of all the students living in this green town. They all have very dark eyes despite the range in their hair tones. I remember Edward's eyes being just as dark. They also bear shadows under those eyes. They almost look like bruises, as if they're all suffering from a sleepless night. They must have had a lot of homework.

But there is some reason why I can't look away.

Their faces are all devastatingly beautiful. All their features are straight, perfect, angular. They could be in the airbrushed pages of a fashion magazine or even portrayed as an angel by some old painter.

For some reason, they're all looking away. They don't seem to be looking at anything, actually. As I watch, the small girl rises with her tray. As far as I can tell, she hasn't touched a thing. She walks with a quick, graceful lope. She really belongs on a runway. I watch as she dumps the untouched tray and glides back to the table, faster than I would have thought possible. My eyes dart back to the others, who remain unchanging.

"Stop staring at them, Saffron," Lauren hisses. The pixie one looks up, glancing over at my friend before her eyes shift to mine. I look down quickly, not wanting to seem rude. For a second there I think I see her smile in recognition. I must be mistaken. "Gosh, you're just like _her_."

"Lauren!" Angela scolds. Wow, she must have said something pretty terrible to raise such a reaction in the quiet girl.

"You're right," the other girl replies with a sigh. "I'm sorry. I just don't want the same thing to happen to you," she continues to me.

"I'll be careful," I reply. I have to get to the bottom of this first, though. Of course.

The door to the cafeteria opens, and I instinctively turn towards the sound. Sahara walks in, nervous as ever. Edward Cullen holds the door open for her, the side of his mouth turned up in what could have been a smile. My sister glances nervously over the room, searching for me. My hand twitches slightly as I prepare to raise it. Edward's eyes flicker to mine. His expression is unreadable as he notices my new friends. He leans down to whisper something in Sahara's ear. My sister looks towards my direction, and her face brightens. I smile in return. She smiles nervously up at the gentleman still holding open the door and then makes her way towards my table. My gaze remains on the pale teen, my thoughts scattered. One thought manages to form in my mind as I stare into his amber eyes. _What have you done?_

* * *

**Edward's POV**

I see her again this morning. She sits in the courtyard, upon one of the wet benches. A sketchbook lays in her hands, and her hair is strangely silver this time. My mind focuses upon hers as I mover closer. I am shocked when her thoughts jump so willingly into my head.

_ Why do they always have to like her?_ a voice immediately sounds. _He can be such a jerk sometimes, so maybe it's for the better. Saffron can definitely handle him. Oh, Saffie. I hope she's okay. She was really messed up yesterday._

Now I have reached her. She is so engrossed with her work she hardly notices me. I have been holding my breath until now in order to prepare myself for what is to come. I take a cautionary breath and find I can breathe normally. The scent is similar, there could be no doubt about that fact. And yet it does not sing to me, as the first had. It is different—slightly off.

As I stand confused by this strange occurrence, I finally decide to announce my presence. "Saffron?" I question.

Her reaction is immediate. The girl jumps, slamming the sketchbook shut. She glances up in my direction, her eyes wide.

_What did he just say?_ she thinks helplessly.

Wishing to calm her nerves, I speak again. "You aren't Saffron, are you?"

A blush creeps up her cheeks for a moment. "No, I'm Sahara, her twin sister." I am almost unprepared for the onslaught of thoughts following the simple enough reply. _Who is this guy, anyway? Oh, he must be that guy Saffie was talking about…cute but kind of…different._ How many thoughts could possibly run through a girl's head? _I wonder where she is…_

"I'm Edward Cullen," I reply. For her, my response comes directly after hers. Humans' perception of time is far different than ours.

Something about these twins seem so intriguing to me. I struggle with myself for a moment, memories of the past beginning to resurface, and then finally decide to sit beside her. Hopefully it will not be as windy as it had been when I first saw Saffron. My iron hold control over my thirst seems to have weakened since…no, I shall not even think of it.

"What were you sketching?" I question, much in the same fashion as I had with her sister.

Another blush creeps up her cheeks, and the side of my mouth tips up in a slight smile.

"Uh…nothing, really," is her stammered reply. Her cheeks grow a deeper shade of red, her heartbeat accelerating in embarrassment. No words cross her mind—only a picture of a heavily muscled, dark-skinned youth standing shirtless in the middle of the forest. It is Jacob Black, the Quillete boy who had once been so interested in…no.

"You don't have to tell me if you wish not to," I assure, managing a polite smile.

"Thank you," she replies with a nervous smile. _She's right—he is nice._

If only they knew…

Something suddenly strikes her. _Maybe he's just being nice because he wants to know where my sister is…_ Biting her lip, she looks away. "Are-are you looking for Saffron?" the girl questions. _They always want her…_she thinks dejectedly. _But that's not her fault_, she contradicts herself, _just the truth._

"Not particularly…at the moment I am more concerned about my conversation with you," I reply lightly. It was the truth.

She smiles to herself, and then glances around. "I don't even know where she is," Sahara admits. The girl frowns. "Or anyone else for that matter." _Why is this?_

"That would be because they are all enjoying their lunches." For some reason, my mouth finds another reason to tip upwards.

"Oh, it's lunch time!" she yelps, gathering up her supplies. _Saffron's going to kill me…_ she thinks. "I have to go!"

"I should go as well," I reply, rising smoothly from the bench. A raindrop lands upon Sahara's shoulder, and she glances up at the foreboding skies. "Perhaps sooner rather than later," I suggest with a wry smile. She nods her agreement.

We walk towards the lunch building, raindrops falling lightly upon us. Sahara raises her hood above her head, thinking frantically, _Oh, no. Oh, no. My hair will get all bushy and frizzy!_ I find another reason to grin. I reach the door first, of course. I have been raised to always be polite, and so I open the door and hold it for her.

A dazzling array of smells and senses barrage me all at once. I hold my breath once again, glancing down at Sahara. She grins nervously up at me. _Thanks, nice guy,_ she chatters in my mind, something I am fairly certain she would never say aloud. She searches for her sister, her eyes roaming the cafeteria. A slight movement catches my eye, and they are immediately drawn to the hand that has just twitched. Saffron sits at the table at the far end, the one…

I pause to lean down into Sahara's ear. "She is over there," I murmur. I feel her shiver as my icy breath touches her skin, and I move back wordlessly.

I glance over to the table once again, the table full of so many reminders of why humans could never live in harmony with my kind. I find Saffron's piercing green eyes gazing directly into my own.

_What have you done?_ she demands.

* * *

AN: I know, the lunch scene was almost _too _similar to the book. What can I say? I'm terrible at descriptions. Anyway, tell me what you think of the chapter? Love? Hate? Review so I can know!


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